Parshat Va'yera

This page is dedicated to categorizing and slightly expanding the blurbs of each article on the parsha. Instead of presenting here per how things were written chronologically (in the order of the years each was written), the goal is to divide in the order of the narrative's subject matter.

 Avraham and the Men/Angels - plus properly pursuing justice 

Avraham's Menu Planning - The details of Avraham's menu served to his guests teaches us much about hospitality, health, presenting a spread of food, kindness, Torah, wisdom, as it also set the stage for his descendants to receive the Torah despite objections from the angels. 

He Laughs, She Laughs - Why Avraham is to blame for all the laughter, a thought on the marriage relationship. Avraham knew he was going to have a child, because he was told so at his bris, before Sarah was told about it by the angels? What does his not telling her about it say about their relationship? 

Righteousness, Justice of a People and Their Land - The Biblical historical claims on land in the region of Israel. Particularly after 10/7/23, this was written to demonstrate that the "fight" in Israel is not about land, and was NEVER about land - between the Jews and Arabs. The connection of the nations of that region to different lands goes back to the Bible. Most of those Peoples are gone. But the Bnei Yisrael remain. 

Prayer's Purpose - Avraham's Tefillah for Sodom needed to be brought into the world, even if it would not save Sodom. Prayer is powerful because it serves a purpose somewhere, and in some moment in time. It might work for our time and for our place. But sometimes it is needed elsewhere and in a different era, and is utilized when God feels it right. 

Sodom and Lot 

Doing Righteousness and Justice - Learning From Sodom - Avraham demonstrates how he learns from Sodom how not to behave. He also learns from Sodom how to raise the bar on his own values 

 Not a Moment Earlier - On why Sodomites Were Not Killed until after Lot left - there is almost always a chance that people can change, or that they can make a decision that will be to their benefit in the longer run

 

Lot's Daughters - We explore the thought process of Lot's daughters, their possibly lofty intentions, and how their misguided approach to "saving the world" led to generations of disaster (and also to the existence of King David!) 

Egypt v Sodom - a Comparative View of Exodus - There are similarities between how the Exodus from Sodom (of Lot and family) matches against the Exodus from Egypt (of all of Israel). What can be learned - one from the other? What is the significance of the textual parallels?  

Avimelekh and Gerar Part I 

People Evolve - Thoughts on Relationship Building - How are we to understand Avraham and Sarah referring to one another as siblings? In what ways did their relationship (possibly) change or evolve over the years? 

Birth of Yitzchak and Sending away Yishmael and Hagar 

Yishmael's Actions and Yishmael's Future - Many options presented, though the primary focus is on how Yishmael turned out in the end. Avraham and Sarah had different thoughts and feelings towards Yishmael, based on their being his father and mother, respectively 

What Was Yishmael Doing (to Yitzchak?)? - Once again many options are presented. Ultimately the focus is on what the word "M'tzachek" means and what it implies about Yishmael. 

 Avimelekh Part II 

Insecure Avimelekh and the Blame Game - An important lesson in taking ownership of things that go wrong under our watch. Too often people look to point fingers at others, forgetting that sometimes the real flaw, or the real issue, lies in the person who is in fact trying to pass the buck onto others.  

Akedat Yitzchak 

Binding Our Children - a Kind of Sacrifice. The importance of doing our best to raise our children to follow in our ways 

Sarah, Mt. Moriah and Prayers for the future of our People - Sarah's absence in the entire Akedah story, with a focus on how Har HaMoriah became the center for Jewish prayer for time immemorial 

Age of Yitzchak at the Akedah - While it is unclear how old Yitzchak was at the Akedah, it is clear that it is a hot and contented subject. The different views each carry a different lesson, with some making more sense as possibilities and some being difficult to understand on many levels. 

Akedah Redux - Always looking anew, trying to understand this incomprehensible story. Who is more greatly tested - Avraham or Yitzchak? What is the test? What is the main takeaway from this tale of tales? 

Don't Read the Akedah in a Vacuum - How the events described in the Torah before the Akedah all input influence on this story and what we are to take from it